From Adversity to Unity: A Quick Look at How the Clashes in September 2022 Reaffirmed Armenian Unity

In the preface to his 1888 book, Twilight of the Idols, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche begins with the following paragraph:

"To maintain a cheerful attitude in the midst of a gloomy and exceedingly responsible task, is no slight artistic feat. And yet, what could be more necessary than cheerfulness? Nothing ever succeeds which exuberant spirits have not helped to produce."

Speaking of cheerfulness and exuberance as an Armenian in times like these might appear to be somewhat paradoxical and at times, unrealistic. After all, the small, landlocked country in the South Caucasus is still dealing with the aftermath of the brutal 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war against Azerbaijan which claimed the lives of over 4000 Armenian servicemen, leaving behind thousands wounded and hundreds missing in action.

On September 13, 2022, just two weeks shy of the second anniversary of the 2020 war, Armenians woke up to yet another escalation in the decades-old territorial conflict with Azerbaijan. However, this time, the situation seemed even more dire. Instead of attacking Arstakh (aka Nagorno-Karabakh), Azerbaijani armed forces had opened fire on Armenia Proper. The villages of Vardenis, Goris, Sotk, and Jermuk – located within the Geragkunik and Syunik provinces – were just some of the locations shelled by artillery and heavy weapons, damaging civilian structures and leading to massive depopulation. Within a mere two days, more than 200 soldiers were killed in action.

A Nation Reacts

Understandably shaken by the sudden nature of the attacks, and the sheer barbarity of the Azeri war crimes that would soon follow, many events in Armenia were canceled or postponed. The Goutan folk festival, Areni wine festival, and Urvakan arts and music festival were canceled and rescheduled respectively. Smaller businesses soon followed suit. The Tatul Altunyan dance ensemble also postponed their performances, as did many local musicians and artists. Ukrainian performers Max Barskih and Tina Karol canceled their scheduled shows in Azerbaijan, condemning the attacks and voicing solidarity with Armenia. In a case of painful symbolism, the Armenian government postponed the Hero of Our Times awarding ceremony which occurs annually on the country’s Independence Day (September 21)..

From an outsider’s perspective, this would certainly appear as disheartening. In fact, expressions of fear, worry, grief, and anxiety were all too common in the streets, on the faces of people whose eyes were glued to their mobile phones, following the latest updates from the borders. Where, then, in the middle of all this, could one find cheerfulness? How could exuberance present itself when even loud music in clubs and pubs was looked down on and the all-to-familiar loud “rabiz” music (Armenian party music) was nowhere to be heard?

Strength Through Unity

To describe what happened in the immediate aftermath of the September 2022 attacks in Armenia, perhaps “perseverance” would be a more appropriate word than exuberance. On the digital spectrum, Armenian artists, influencers, and celebrities such as Serj Tankian and System of a Down, Tigran Hamasyan, Kim Kardashian, and others, were quick to condemn the atrocities and began raising awareness. Kev Orkian, a UK-based Armenian entrepreneur and pianist, began shedding light on the issue via social media, and continues to do so today. The Genocide Watch website issued a warning due to the attacks. On an international scale, both Armenian and non-Armenian politicians began speaking up against the attacks, namely Irish Senator Paul Gavan, and speaker of the United States House of Representatives Nancy Pilosi, whose visit to Yerevan following the attacks caused quite a stir.

On the ground, Armenians both inside and outside Armenia began to mobilize in order to assist their countrymen and soldiers. It became common to see ordinary citizens collecting necessary supplies to send to the affected areas. Students at the Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages set up a make-shift station right outside the university building and remained there until the end of the escalation, collecting, sorting, and shipping supplies. NGOs like VoMA, POGA and Azatazen began extensive training courses, educating the public free of charge in warfare, military strategy and first-aid. All of this was done without the behest of government officials. It was people helping people, as we have seen time and time again in Armenia, from the Spitak Earthquake of 1988, to the Surmalu shopping center explosion of August 2022.

This was also when volunteers sprang into action, taking the risk of traveling to the affected regions in order to assist displaced civilians. All for Armenia, Kooyrigs, Artsakh Relocation Project - most of which formed during the 2020 war - and many other NGOs quickly gathered clothing, medicine, and hygiene products, delivering them to those who needed them the most. However, the thing is, none of these NGOs have remained idle since the 2022 war. All of them have been continuously active in both assisting the displaced, as well as helping build sustainable projects in affected areas.

This powerful commitment to a homeland shows in various ways. It does not always have to be something big and extravagant. Barbers in Armenia are offering free haircuts to conscripts and taxi drivers will often drive them to their destinations free of charge. Many people are offering their homes as temporary housing to displaced citizens. Speaking to an elderly man in a village which was shelled directly by Azerbaijan, our writer was surprised to see a somewhat bitter smile as the trembling hand raised the small shot of homemade apricot moonshine, putting it down empty and saying: “Lav klini.” - meaning “all will be well.”

United in Adversity

It appears that the harder this nation gets hit with adversity, the more motivated its people become, both within its borders and in the diaspora. Perhaps this is what Nietzsche meant in the preface quoted herein. Cheerfulness and exuberance not in the literal sense, but simply the will and strength to carry on in the face of tragedy and turmoil; to seek ways of redemption when the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be either switched off or flickering. Caring for one’s country during times like these is certainly “a gloomy and exceedingly responsible task” - and Armenians are working together to carry out that task.

“Those that fight each other will join forces against the wolf.”

Yes, there is a lot of political turmoil in the country and many Armenians are deeply divided on a number of important issues. And yet, as soon as tragedy strikes, all of us unite - irrespective of our beliefs and ideologies - and rush to do our part in protecting our homeland. This is where the secret to our longevity lies, and where we must source the ardor we need to move forward.

We began this article with a German quote. Let us conclude it with an Armenian one:

“The motherland must be loved regardless of her political regime and our political convictions.” Garegin Njdeh - Armenian military commander, political thinker, and national hero.